Safety support



Jan. 12, 1937. c. A. ZWEIBEL 2,067,588

SAFETY SUPPORT Original Fiied May 29, 1933 v Patented Jan. 12,. 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY SUPPORT Charles A. Zweibel, Louisville, Ky., assignor to Chicago Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois 16 Claims.

This application is a division of application, Serial No. 673,372, filed May 29, 1933.

This invention relates to improvements in safety supports especially adapted for use in 5 7 connection with brake riggings of railway cars. One object of the invention is to provide a safety supporting means of simple construction, which may be economically manufactured, so designed that it may be easily applied to the usual spring plank of a railway car truck and is effectively held in place by gripping engagement with said plank.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a safety supporting means of the char- 16: acter indicated having means connected therewith through which the connecting rod of the brake extends for supporting the brake rod and beam in case of accidental dropping of same.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the spring plank of a railway car truck and a portion of the brake mechanism of the car, illustrating my improvements in connection therewith, the section corresponding substantially to the line of Figure 2. Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, illustrating another embodiment of the invention, the brake mechanism being omitted. Figure 4 is an elevational view, partly broken away, looking toward the left in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a view, similar to Figure 3, illustrating still another embodiment of the invention. Figure 6 is an elevational view, partly broken away, looking toward the left in Figure 5.

In said drawing, |0 indicates the usual spring plank of a. railway car truck, ||,-the brake levers, |2,-the bottom connecting rod for the levers |3,the lever fulcrum bracket or strut on the right hand brake beam, I4 and IS,- the tension and compression members, respectively,jof the brake beams, and A-A,-safety supporting, members for the brake beams attached directly to the spring plank and. in themselves forming no part of the present invention.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, my improved safety supporting means comprises broadly a supporting member B having stirrup members C-C. connected thereto.

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The supporting member B, comprises a pair of hooklike members 30-30, engaged with the upwardly tapered flanges |8-l8 of the spring plank l0, and a horizontally bowed barlike section 3| formed integral with the hook members 30-30 and pressing on the bottom of the spring plank ID.

The stirrup members CC are preferably in the form of rings carried by the barlike section 3| at opposite sides of the spring plank.

The connecting rod Z of the brake mechanism extends freely through the rings CC and these rings serve as supporting means for the rod I2 when the same becomes accidentally detached from the levers I l-l I or drops with one or both brake beams due to some other failure of the supports of the brake rigging.

A single spring steel bar is preferably employed to form the hooklike members 30-30 and the bowed bar section 3|. As most clearly shown in Figure 1, the upwardly bowed section 3| bears against the bottom side of the main body portion of the spring plank l0 and has looplike sections 33-33 at opposite ends thereof connecting the barlike section 3| with the shanks 34-34 of the hooklike members 30-30. The looplike sections 33-33 serve to accommodate the upper portions of the rings CC.

The supporting member B is attached to the spring plank by bowing the same to a suflicient extent to permit the hooks 30-30 to be sprung over the upper edges of the vertical flanges |8-l8 of the spring plank l0 and interlock with the flanges. As will be evident, the support B, together with the rings CC carried thereby, when in position on the spring plank, is securely held against removal by the resilient action of the bowed, barlike section 3| pressing on the bottom of the spring plank.

Referring next to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, my improved supporting means comprises a pair of supporting members E-E, which are attached to the vertical flanges I8|8 of the spring plank I0 and mount stirrup members 60-80 in the form of rings, through which the bottom connecting rod of the brake rigging extends. Each supporting member E comprises a resilient,inverted V-shaped .section having diverging arms 6 |-6| connected at their upper ends by a curved portion 63. The arms 6l-62, together with the curved section 63, form the hook member proper, which is engaged over the corresponding vertical flange I8 of the spring plank I0. The arm 62 of the member E projects below the plane of the bottom surface of the spring plank Ill and has its lower end portion twisted to provide an enlargement 64 in a plane at right angles to the arm 62. The enlargement 64 is perforated to provide an eye member adapted to receive the upper section of the corresponding ring 60. I 3, the arms 6l62 of the supporting member E are at least as great in length as the height of the corresponding flange N3 of the spring plank H]. The enlargement Ed is SO. spaced from the upper end of the member E that the same engages underneath the corresponding lower corner of the spring plank l0 and clamps the supporting member in place.

Referring next to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 and .6,r'ny improved supporting means comprises a pair of supporting hooks F-F, a curved resilient bar G suspended by the hooks F-F, and a pair of stirrups or rings I-I.I-I through which the bottom connecting rodofjthe br'ake rigging extends.

Each hook F is inthe form of a plate having a bent upper end section '10 forming the hook proper, which engages over the top edge of corresponding vertical flange I8 of the spring plank [0. The plate portion of the hook member F extends beneath the lower surface of the spring plank Hi and said extending portion is provided with an opening H adapted to accommodate the corresponding end of the bar G.

The bar G is preferably spring steel and yieldingly bears on the bottom surface of the spring plank 0. The opposite ends of the bar G are formed with loop portions 12 12, which terminate in downwardly turned extensions 'l313. The opposite ends of the bar G extend through the openings 7|H of the hook members.FF, theloop portions 72-42 being disposed outwardly of the platelike shankportions of said hook members FF while the sections 1313 are engaged within said openings H'H and project inwardly beyond the members F-F. The bar G being of spring steel, the loop portions 12-T2 have a certain amount of resiliency and the portions 13-43 yieldingly bear on the lower walls of the openings 'H'H of the hook members FF, thereby pressing the bowed section or said bar G tightly against the lower-surface of the spring plank l0 and holding the hook members interlocked with the flanges [8-48 of the spring plank I0.

The ringlike members I-IH, which form the safety supporting'means proper for the bottom connecting 'rodof the brake rigging, have their upper sections engaged through the loop portions 12-12 of the bar G. The rings I-I--H are thus attached to the supporting hooks F-F and are confined on the bar G, as clearly shown in Figure In applying the safety supporting means shown in Figure 5 to thespring plank, the hook members F-F are sprung over the upper edges of the flanges Ill-l8 of the'spring plank ID, the bowed bar G yielding'sufliciently to permit this.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a safety support adapted to be attached to the usual channel-shaped spring plank of a railway car truck, the combination with a pair of hook members engaging over the vertical As clearlyshown in Figure flanges of the spring plank; of an upwardly bowed, resilient, barlike section engaging the bottom side of the spring plank, said barlike section being formed integral with the hook members; and stirrups supported from opposite ends of said barlike section.

2. A supporting member comprising a onepiece, barlike section having its opposite end portions bent upwardly and hook members formed at the extremities of said bent portions, said hook members engaging over the vertical flanges of the spring plank of a railway car truck, the intermediate section between said hook members being bowed upwardly and pressing on the bottom side of the spring plank, and looplike members supported from said barlike section at opposite sides of the spring plank.

3. A one-piece supporting bracket comprising a resilient bar having a horizontal, upwardly bowed section for .engagingthe bottom of the spring plank of a railway car truck, vertical sections at opposite ends of said first named section, hooks at the upper ends of said vertical sections, said hooks being arranged to engage over the flanges of the spring plank, and outwardly bowed, connecting portions between said first named section and the vertical sections, said bowed portions receiving supporting stirrup members. I

4. A support for a brake connecting rod, said support comprising a bar having a vertical section formed with a hook for engaging over both sides and the top edge of one of the flanges of a spring plank of a railway car truck, said bar being formed into a ringlike eyeat its lower end, a portion of said eye extending laterally from said hook to be wedged beneath the spring. plank and to cooperate with said hook to retain said support on said spring plank independently of other securing means, and a looplike member suspended by said eye.

'5. A support for a brake connecting rod, said support comprising a bar of spring steel includ ing a pair of laterally diverging inner and outer sections connected at their upper ends, said connected sections forming a hook adapted to engage over one of the flanges of a spring plank of a railway car truck, said inner and outer sections respectively engaging the inner and outer sides of said flange substantially throughout its height, the lower end of the outer section terminating in an enlargement forming an eye, said enlargement being wedged beneath the outer lower corner of the spring plank, and a looplike member supported from said eye.

6. In a safety support adapted to be attached to the usual channel-shaped spring plank of a railway car truck, the combination with a pair of hook members for engaging over the upper flanges of the spring plank, each hook member having a shank disposed to extend vertically along the outer side of the corresponding flange of the spring plank and to project beneath said plank, the projecting portion of said shank being provided with an opening therethrough; of a bowed resilient bar member disposed to yieldingly engage the bottom of said spring plank, said bowed member having its outer ends extending through the openings of the shanks of the hook members; and stirrups suspended on the outer ends of said bar member.

7. In a safety support adapted to be attached to the usual channel-shaped spring plank of a railway car truck, the combination with a pair of hook members for engaging over the upper edges of flanges of the spring plank, each hook 73 member having ashank disposed to extend vertically along the outer side of the corresponding flange of the spring plank and projecting beneath said plank, the projecting portion of said shank being provided with an opening therethrough; of a bowed resilient bar member disposed to yieldingly engage the bottom of said spring plank, said bowed member having its outer ends extending through the openings of the shanks of the hook members, the outer ends of said bar member being formed into loop portions; and stirrups supported from the loop portions of said bar member.

8. In a safety support adapted to be attached to the usual channel-shaped spring plank of a railway car truck, the combination with a pair of hook members for engaging over the upper flanges of the spring plank, each hook member having a shank disposed to extend vertically along the outer side of the corresponding flange of the spring plank and projecting beneath said plank, the projecting portion of said shank being provided with an opening therethrough; of a bowed resilient bar member arranged to yieldingly engage the bottom of said spring plank, said bowed member having its outer ends extending through the openings of the shanks of the hook members, the outer ends of said bar member being bent into loops, each loop having a free end section extending into the opening of the shank of the corresponding hook member and yieldingly engaging the lower wall of said opening; and stirrups suspended from said loops.

9. In a safety support for brake mechanism, the combination of a main supporting member, a stirrup adapted to establish a support for a part of the mechanism in case it drops, and a bracket for suspending said stirrup from said member and including yielding means for securing the bracket in fixed position on the supporting member, said stirrup being swiveled on the bracket.

10. A safety support for brake mechanism, comprising a stirrup through which a bottom rod may pass, and a resilient bracket thereon having a portion adapted for snap engagement with a supporting member on which the bracket may be mounted, said stirrup being swiveled on the bracket.

11. A brake gear guard, guide, or support device, including a stirrup member and a supporting bracket element for said member, having a U-shaped portion with legs for gripping an upright flange on a truck part, said device being supported solely by the engagement of said legs and said flange, said stirrup member being swiveled on said bracket.

12. In combination, a support, and a brake gear safety device, including a stirrup member and a supporting element therefor, having means integral therewith yieldably securing said device to said support, said securing means being arranged to be sprung into place on the support, said stirrup being swiveled to said supporting element.

13. In combination, a spring plank, and a brake gear safety device, including a stirrup and a supporting element for said stirrup, having means integral therewith yieldably securing the same to said spring plank, said securing means being arranged to be yieldably sprung into place on the plank, said stirrup being swiveled on said supporting element.

14. A brake gear guard or support device, including a stirrup and a supporting element for said stirrup, having an inverted U-shaped portion with legs arranged to be slipped down over an upright flange on a truck part and to be spread apart by said flange and thereby grip the same and constitute the sole mounting for the device, said stirrup being swiveled on said supporting element.

15. A brake gear guard or support device comprising an inverted U-shaped hook, the legs of which are arranged to slip down over an upright web on a truck part to be spread apart thereby to tightly grip the opposite sides of the web and constitute the sole mounting and positioning structure for the device, and a stirrup member swiveled on said hook and having a portion thereof arranged to underlie a brake gear element adjacent to said truck part.

16. A safety device for car trucks comprising a bracket having an inverted U-shaped portion defining a substantially wedge-shaped seating recess adapted to receive an upstanding flange of a spring plank, one of the legs of the U-shaped portion being provided with an angularly disposed flange to rest upon the web of a spring plank and the other leg thereof being extended downwardly to form an eye for engaging the bottom of a spring plank and preventing upward movement of the device out of engagement with a spring plank, and a rod supporting stirrup extending through said eye.

CHARLES A. ZWEIBEL. 

